Latrobe flooding review is open

THE Latrobe Council will make a submission to the state government’s flood review in an effort to better prepare the town for future events.

Submissions are invited from the public into the Tasmanian Government’s review of the statewide floods in June, and the more recent floods in Huonville.

Former Auditor-General Mike Blake will lead the formal, independent review into the flood events of June.

The review will consider all aspects of the flood event, and input is being sought from stakeholders and the public.

It will analyse the effectiveness of plans related to managing flood risk in Tasmania, community preparation, resilience and awareness, the causes of the floods, water storage management, flood early-warning systems and consideration of the environmental affects of the flooding.

What mitigation measures may be necessary to avoid similar events will also be discussed.

Latrobe mayor Peter Freshney said the council had received an invitation to make a submission to the review.

“I will be doing that as mayor of Latrobe and that will be done in conjunction with the Latrobe Council,” he said.

“We will definitely be making a contribution or submission, without a doubt.”

Cr Freshney said there was a range of items the Latrobe Council would mention in its flood comment.

“There's a cross section of issues but some of those issues will include catchment management and maintenance, which has certainly impacted downstream,” he said.

Another issue Cr Freshney pledged to mention was the suitability of the flood-warning system.

He said the council would also work with the State Emergency Service and the Bureau of Meteorology on the alert warning level system and its effectiveness to towns as waters continued rising.

“We want to ensure that every town that’s likely to be impacted by flooding right across the state has those triggers,” he said.

“We’ll be making a detailed submission on a broad range of issues.”

Submissions for the flood review should be sent to Brian Edmonds at brian.edmonds@ses.tas.gov.au before Friday, November 11, 2016.